Sleeping-car seat and berth.



PATENTBD AUG. 6, 1907;

J. F. BUTZ. SLEEPING CAR SEAT AND BERTH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1907.

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110. 862,387. PATBNTED AUG. 6, 1907.

J. F. BUTZ.

SLEEPING CAR SEAT AND BBRTH. urmonron rmm r23. as. 1907.

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PATE'NTED AUG. 5, 1907.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.23,1907.

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No. 862,387. ,PATENTED' AUG. 6, 1907. J. F. BUTZ.

SLEEPING OAR-SEAT AND BERTH.

APPLIOATION FILED 23,1907- 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W a Hoznu THE NORRIS PETERS co., vusnuvcmn, 04 c JOHN F. BUTZ, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

SLEEPING-CAR SEAT AND BERTH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1907.

Application filed February 23, 1907. Serial No. 358,869-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .ToHN F..BUTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Worth, Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleeping-Car Seats and Berths, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sleeping cars, and more particularly to berths and seats for sleeping cars, and the object is to provide a more convenient mode of adjusting the berths and seats, to provide pneumatic elevators for the upper berths, and to provide means for storing bed clothing.

In the improved berth, there will be many conveniences. When the upper berth is not in use, the parts may hang down so that a person in the lower berth will have open space above him to the car roof, thus providing for convenience in dressing and making the car or berth more comfortable. An upper berth may be prepared for an occupant and lowered for the occupant to retire and then be elevated to the proper height above the lower berth by the porter ing claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application and specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a section of the interior of a car, showing the position of berths when ready for occupancy and showing how the upper berth may be suspended when unlocked while elevated. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a section of the interior of a car, showing the position of the seats when the berths are not in use, the covers for the backs of the seats being removed to show the manner of storing the mattresses and the bed clothing. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the back boards and the partitions and a section of one seat, showing the position of the lower berth when ready for occupancy. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a seat, and also an edge view of a section of the upper berth and showing the partition which carries the section' of the upper berth elevated and showing the manner of bracing the partition at the side and at the top of the car. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a seat, showing the manner of supporting the middle section of the lower berth. Fig. 6 is aplan view of the pipe which forms a part of the pneumatic elevator for the upper berth. Fig. 7 is a detail to be described. Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the cylinders which form a part of the pneumatic elevator. Fig. 9 is a bottom view of the two sections of the upper berth, showing the manner of locking the free ends of the sections together. Fig. 10 is a vertical section of the two sections, showing the pockets in the berth sections for the locking bars. Fig. 11 is a horizontal section of two cylinders which form a part of the pneumatic elevator and showing also the partition and the braces for the partition.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

The seats and the berths herein described are all knock-down seats and berths. When the berths are not in use the mattresses and bed clothing are stored between the backs of the seats. The elevator for the berths will be described as a pneumatic elevator, but it is apparent that other means can be used for elevating the berths, and any means of supplying fluid pressure to the cylinders may be utilized.

The seats are composed of two upholstered sections 1 and 2 and upholstered backs 3 and suitable frame pieces. and side pieces 5 and 6 and bars 7 attached to back piece l. The seats have also front supporting bars 8. The closure of the space under the seats is completed by boards 9 of wood or whatever material may be selected. Pillows and other articles may be stored in this closure. The space under the boards 9 may be utilized for holding packages, valises, etc. The two seats which face each other may be formed into a berth or bed. For a support between the seats bars 11 are mounted in slots formed in the bars 8 and secured therein at one end by hinges 12. Each bar 8 has a similar bar 11 mounted therein and each bar 8 has a slot 13 for receiving the end of the bar 11 of the opposite seat. The section 1 of each seat is removed and placed on the bars 11 between the seats, one of the sections 1 being placed upon the other and the lower section 1 occupying the space between the bars 8. In all cases of preparing the lower berth the backs of the seats are raised out of the way of the lower berth. Attention is called to location of the backs when forming parts of the seats. The backs 3 extend down behind the sections 1.'

The means for forming upper berths include an elevator which is preferably pneumatically operated. The berths are formed of the backs 3. Normally the backs rest in the positions shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5. The sections 3 are elevated by partitions 14 which rest in the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3 when not in use. The partitions 14 are elevated by piston rods 15 which are operated by pistons 16 which operate in cylinders 17, one cylinder at each end of the partition 14. The cylinders 17 are slightly sunk into the wall of the car at one end and at the other end in the end pieces 5 of the seats. The pistons 16 are preferably operated by air pressure which may be pumped into the cylinders. It

The frame pieces of the seats are a back 4- will be apparent from the illustrations that there are two cylinders for each partition and four cylinders for forming one berth. The four pistons 16 for forming one berth may be operated by a single pump connected to cylinders 17 by suitable pipes. Figs. 6 and 8 illustrate the pipes for connecting the pump with the four cylinders. 18 indicates a pump of ordinary construction which is connected to a pipe 19 by a flexible pipe 20. When the pump is not in use it may be held in a recess in the end seat piece 5, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 and held therein by springs 21. It is apparent that compressed air irom any other source may be utilized lor raising the pistons, The pipe 19 is connected to pipes 22, 23, and 24 by suitable elbows 25 which have T-connections 26 thereon. The T-connections 26 are connected with the cylinders 17 A single bar of metal 27 may be bent to form the piston rods 15. The partitions 14 are attached to the bars 27. Consequently when the pistons rise the partitions are raised by the piston rods. Guide braces 28 are attached to the side of the car for the piston rods 15 to hold the partitions steady in the upward and downward motion. The partitions will not reach entirely to the roof of the car. For forming partitions or closing the space between the top of the partitions and the car rooi, a board or member 29 is hinged to the bar 27 and extends to the car roof. A guide way 30 is formed on the car roof to receive the upper edge of the member 29 and to hold this member in place. The back sections 3 are to be connected with the partitions by hooks 31 which are carried by the sections 3. When the sections are not connected to the partitions 14, the hooks 31 may be folded down on the back or bottom of the sections 5 and telescoped back in cases 32 which are attached to the section 3. When the partition begins to rise the hooks are turned to positions illustrated by Fig. 7 and when the slots 33 in the partitions are even with the hooks 31, the hooks catch or engage the bars 34 formed by cutting away portions of the partitions. Then the sections 3 are elevated sufiiciently the free ends of the sections 3 are raised and locked together in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4. The sections 3 are 'ocked together by bars 35 which operate in pockets 36 formed in the bottom of the sections 3, as illustrated in Figs. 4, 9, and 10. The bars 35 may be provided with knobs 37 for convenience in operation. When not in use the bars 35 may be carried in one of the sections 3. For holding the upper berths in the elevated position, the compressed air might be sufiicient, but a permanent or more rigid support may be had by attaching swinging dogs 38 to the lower part of each partition 14. When the partition is elevated to the proper height, these dogs 38 can be set on the top edge of the cylinders 17 to hold the partitions in a flX Gd. position. Guide ways 39 may be formed on the cylinders 17 for. the partitions 14.

Curtains 40 are hung by the berths. The curtains are similar to the curtains in use. The pole 41 on which the curtains are hung are permanently located and need not be taken down. The pole 41 is fixed by braces 42 and a basket 43 which are attached to the car roof. The basket or rack 43 may be utilized to hold hats, articles of clothing, packages, etc. When the partitions are down and the seat sections are in position to form seats, the partitions 14 and the cylinders 17 and other parts thereabout may be covered with a board 44. Hats and other articles may be placed on this board 44, the board being used as a shelf or rack. The mattresses and bed clothing may be hung on brackets 45 which are mounted on the partitions 14. Thus between the backs of two seats is formed a storingplace for bedding instead of having the bedding stored overhead.

It will be observed that the lower berths of a car can be prepared without interposing anything between the lower berth and the roof of the car so that there will be nothing to interfere with a person while dressing, as is the case with present sleeping car arrangements in use. If a party does not want any one sleeping above him he can buy a section and thus have his berth open to the roof of the car. Fig. 1 shows how the sections 3 may be hung out of the way of the occupant, the sections 3 being hung on the partitions 14, which are used for elevating the upper berths. It is apparent that the upper berths may be prepared and lowered for the occupant to retire and then elevated by compressed air operating the cylinders 17.

It will be observed that with the arrangement of berths herein described that the curtains are hung as usual, but that the curtain poles remain up all the time, there being no necessity of taking the poles down.

Attention is called to the seats. The seats are formed of two upholstered sections, the upper section being removable. To form a lower berth, the removable sections of two seats are placed one upon the other between the seatsand supported between the supporting bars of the seats andbetween the stationary sections.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. A sleeping car having seats arranged in pairs and provided with knock-down seating sections and stationary seating sections and knock-down backs, means for converting the seating sections of each pair of seats into a lower berth, partitions for elevating and holding the backs in elevated positions, bedding supporting brackets carried by said partitions for storing bedding between said partitions when not in use, and means for converting the backs of each pair of seats into an upper berth.

2. A sleeping car having seats arranged in pairs and provided with knock-down seating sections and stationary seating sections and knockdown backs, means for converting the seating sections of each pair of seats into a lower berth, pneumatically operated partitions for elevating and holding said backs in elevated positions, and means for converting said backs into an upper berth.

3. A sleeping car having seats arranged in pairs and provided with knock-down seating sections and stationary seating sections and knock-down backs, means for converting the seating sections of each pair of seats into a lower berth, and pneumatically operated partitions for elevating and holding said backs out of the way of the lower berth.

4. A sleeping car having seats arranged in pairs and provided with knock-down seating sections and stationary seating sections and knock-down backs, means for converting the seating sections of each pair of seats into a lower berth, pneumatically operated partitions for raising and lowering said backs, said backs having hooks at one end engaging said partitions, and means for locking the free ends of said backs together to form an upper berth.

5. A sleeping car having seats arranged in pairsand provided with knock-down backs, means for converting thebacks of each pair of seats into an upper berth consisting of partitions pivotally engaged by said backs and means for locking the free ends of said backs together, and pneumatically operated pistons attached to said partitions for raising and lowering said upper berth.

6. A sleeping car having seats arranged in pairs and provided with knock-down backs, means for converting said backs into an upper berth consisting of partitions pivotally engaged by the upper sides of said backs and means for locking the lower sides of said hacks together, pistons provided with piston rods attached to said partitions, cylinders in which said pistons operate, and means for supplying said cylinders with compressed air for raising and lowering said berth.

7. A sleeping car having seats arranged in pairs and provided with knock-down backs, means for converting the backs of each pair of seats into an upper berth consisting of partitions pivotally engaged by the upper sides of said backs and means for locking-the lower sides of said back together, pistons provided with piston rods carrying said partitions, cylinders in which said pistons operate, pipes connected to and communicating with said cylinders, and means for supplying said pipes with compressed air.

8. A sleeping car having seats arranged in pairs and provided with knock-down backs, means for locking the lower sides of the backs of each pair of seats together to form an upper berth, partitions carrying said berth, pistons provided with piston rods carrying said partitions, cylinders in which said pistons operate, and means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinders to operate said pistons.

0. A sleeping car having seats arranged in pairs and provided with knock-down backs, means for locking the backs of each pair of seats together to form an upper berth, partitions carrying said berth, guides for said partitions, pistons provided with piston rods carrying said partitions, cylinders in which said pistons operate, and means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinders to operate said pistons.

10. A sleeping car having seats arranged in pairs and provided with knock-down backs, means for locking the backs of each pair of seats together to form an upper berth, partitions carrying said berth, guides for said partitions, pistons provided with piston rods carrying said partitions, cylinders in which said pistons operate, means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinders to operate said pistons, and curtains for screening said berth.

11. A sleeping car having seats arranged in pairs and provided with knock-down seat sections and backs, frames for said seats and frames for said backs, means for converting the sections of each pair of seats into a lower berth, means for converting the knock-down back sections of each pair of seats into an upper berth, partitions for raising and lowering said upper berth, bedding supporting brackets carried by said partitions, and means for storing and concealing said partitions and the bedding between the back frame pieces of said seats.

In testimony whereof, I set my hand in the presence of two witnesses, this 14th day of February, 1907.

JOHN F. BUTZ.

Witnesses A. L, JACKSON,

L. T. KNIGHT. 

